1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally concerns a container into which articles employed in medical applications are placed for sterilization and further concerns a container designed to ensure that proper steps are taken during a disinfecting regimen. More particularly, this invention deals with the use of the electrical conductivity of aqueous disinfecting solutions or any other electrolytic solutions used for removing residuals that may be harmful to living tissues from surfaces of the articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many disinfecting agents available for use in aqueous solutions. Some of the well-known germicidal agents are hydrogen peroxide, thimerosal, chlorohexidine, glutaraldehyde, alcohols, and inorganic salts. The concentrations of these agents range from about 0.001% to 30% or more. Some of these solutions may contain ionic salts to maintain a certain tonicity in order to be compatible with the physiological fluids.
Normally a second solution is used in combination with the disinfecting solution during a disinfecting regimen. The second solution may include distilled water, saline or other solutions containing agents specific for interaction with a particular disinfectant. The purpose of the second solution usually is to remove, neutralize or decompose excess germicidal agents remaining on the articles after the disinfection step. This can be accomplished simply by physical removal, or by reacting the disinfecting agent chemically or physically such that the final products are rendered harmless to living tissues. The second solution is usually called a neutralizing agent. The concentrations of this solution usually depend on the concentrations of the disinfectant used.
Germicidal agents are used to sterilize such articles and devices as surgical tools, contact lenses, dental appliances, catheters, syringes, and packaging materials. Any residual amount of the germicidal agent remaining after treatment may require removal depending on the affects of the agent upon living tissue. For example, in cases where the application of the article or device containing residual amounts of germicidal solution may cause cellular damage or, at the very least, a significant amount of irritation to the patient or user, the germidical agent must be removed.
A specific case in point is the disinfection of soft contact lenses with hydrogen peroxide. This method of disinfection is a common practice for contact lens wearers. Hydrophilic soft contact lenses may contain up to 80% water and therefore absorb or even concentrate hydrogen peroxide within the lens matrix. After the disinfecting step, residual hydrogen peroxide must be removed before insertion of the lenses into the eyes as hydrogen peroxide will adversely react with the eye tissue and this is usually accomplished by treating the lenses with a neutralizing solution.
A problem associated with the such systems is that it is very easy for a patient to forget which solution is in the cup. Moreover, the patient may accidentally use the wrong sequence of solutions in the disinfection regimen. For example a neutralizing solution may be mistakenly used initially and followed by a hydrogen peroxide solution.
Thus, there exists the need for a cleaning system for contact lenses which alerts the user to the presence of harmful cleaning agents and which informs the user when a proper cleaning sequence has been completed.